Valve-controlling device for internal-combustion engines



R. HILDEBRAND VALVE CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 25, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 d v g g m w r mw WM 2 Wm W 7/ Q 4 1.7m! m w H fl K W 0 H m .1 alum My? H/// M H mm H. //H// 3 V4 0 MJ 5 44 4a 5 3 i Q v z o M M? J 4 |r| H H O M a w w MW Get. 23 1923.

R. HILDEBRAND I VALVE CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTiON ENGINES Filed June 23, 1919 'Fgfl a4 a2 a; 37 as a0 k 2 7/ J' i as l 37 /0 8 3 I} y t 22 e7: 07' 74 C 74 2 Hz'ldeband & u W

Patented Oct. 23, 1923.

BEINHARD HILDEBRAND, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO FULTON IRON WORKS COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

VALVE-CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filcd. June 23, 1919. Serial No. 306,177.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, REINHARD Himm- BRAND, a citizen of Germany, a resident of Webster Groves, in the county of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve- Controlling Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in valve controlling devices for internal coinbustion engines, and more particularly to an adjustable means for operating the inlet valves of such. engines. The invention is especially adapted for use in internal com bustion engines of the type wherein air is compressed to a temperature high enough to ignite the fuel.

Prior to this invention, engines of this type have been provided with inletyalves, known as injection valves, for the admission ofliquid fuel which is injected int the cylinders by means of blasts of compressed air. perature, it is necessary to subject the air in the cylinder to a very high'compression, for example,,about 500 pounds per square inch, and the air blast; for injecting the fuel must be under a higher pressure, for example, about 800 pounds per square inch. 'In considering the present invention, it will be interesting to observe that heat may be generated by the compression of air, and if compressed air is permitted to expand, it will absorb heat from adjacent bodies, thereby cooling the adjacent or surrounding bodies. When the blast of air at a relativelv high pressure is injected into the highly heated air in the engine cylinder, the

air blast expands and as a result .it tends to cool the fuel with which it is comminled. The cooling influence of the expand,- mg air blast will depend upon the difference between the pressure of the injection air andthe pressure of the hotair in the cylinder, and also upon the volume of the injection air admitted to the cylinder., Therefore, if too much injection air is admitted into the cylinder, it will impair the eiliciency of the engine byunduly cooling both the fuel and the hot air whereby the fuel is to be ignited.

The liquid fuel is usually forced to the To obtain the desired ignition teminlet valve in measured charges, which vary in accordance with'changes 1n the speed of the engine, the fuel supply being ord narily regulated by a fuel pump under the control of a speed governor. In other words, the quantity of fuel is determined by the action of a fuel pump, and not by the injection air. However, since it is desirable to vary the quantity of fuel, it is also desirable t vary the quantity f i whereby the fuel is'injected into the cylinder. It is particularly advantageous to prevent the admission of too much injection air, for the excess air expanding in the cylinder may result in cooling, which would prevent ignition, or at least impair the efliciency of the fuel.

One of the objects of this invention isto provide a simple means for adjusting or controlling the mechanism for actuating the inlet valve, or in ection valve, so as to vary the movements of said valve. By properly varying the strokes of this valve, the admission of injection air can be controlled to avoid dissipation, or waste, of compressed air, at the same time avoiding to a great extent the undue cooling which has heretofore resulted from the admission of excess injection air. In the preferred form of the invention, this is. accomplished by an adjustablemember adapted to change the leverage of a lever arm in the valve operating mechanism, thereby varying the movements of the inlet valve. andthis adjustable mem-v ber may be under, the control of a speed governor, but it is to be understood that 'the invention is not limited to this precise type herein referred to, the valve mechanism is carefully designed to open and close the injection valve at predetermined periods in the cycle of operations, and after these opening and closing periods have been properly determined, they should remain fixed and unchanged during the subsequent operations of the engine. I therefore prefer to vary the. movements of the valve without varying the predetermined periods in which the valve is opened and closed. This may be accomplished. as will be hereinafter described by using a cam which operates a valve actuating lever during a certain fixed period in the cycle of operations, and by changing the leverage of said lever to vary extends from the top the movements of the valve Without changing the time of operation of the lever.

Fig. l is a fragmentary view illustrating a portion of an internal Combustion engine embodying the features of this invention.

Fig. ll is an enlarged vertical section illustrating the injection valve, or inlet valve, and the adjustable ,valve operating means.

A designates an engine cylinder provided at its upper end with a hollow head B, said head having a top wall 1 and a bottom wall 2 separated therefrom to provide a space for the cooling water.

The 'njection valve, or fuel inlet valve, comprises a valve member 3 in the form of a long rod or'needle adapted to open and close an inlet port 4, through which the fuel is discharged into the cylinder. The valve member 3 ,is slidably mounted in a guide tube 5 suitably secured in a valve housing 6. A sleeve 7, surrounding the valve housing 6, wall 1 of the cylinder head to the bottom wall 2, said sleeve being secured by means of a threaded ring 8 screwed into the top wall. This sleeve is intended to prevent the water in the hollow cylinder head from coming into Contact with the valve housing 6.

9 designates an air conducting pipe through which the injection air under a high pressure is conducted to a passageway 10 leading into the upper portion of thevalve housing. 11 designates an oil conducting pipe through which the oil is forced into a long angular assageway 12, leading from a point above t e cylinder head to the lower portion of the valve housing. The oil is thus admitted into the annular space between the guide tube 5 and the valve housing, and the injection air is forced into said annular space at a point near the top of the valve housing. When the valve member 3 is lifted from its seat so as to open the inlet port a, the air, acting upon the oil, forces the latter through the usual perforated rings 13 and.

through passageways 14, from which it is discharged through the inlet port 1 and into the cylinder. The means for closing the valve 3 comprises a restoring spring 15 arranged in a spring housing 16 above the top of the valve.

This spring is mounted on a tubular spring seat '17 screwed onto the upper end of the valve 3. A locking screw 18, in the spring seat 17, abuts a'gainst theupper end of the valve. 19 designa es an upper spring seat engaging the top-2f the spring 15 and adapted to be adjusted by a screw 20. The restoring spring 15 tends to retain the valve in its closed position.

The means for opening the valve comprises a short lever 21. fulcrumed on a rod 22 and embracing the valve member 3. A. short tube 23 screwed into the lever 21, is proravines vided at its upper end with an abutment collar 24 which engages the lower end of an abutment sleeve 25, the upper end of said sleeve being engaged with the tubular spring seat member 17. A light spring 26, connected to the lever 21, tends to retain the abutrne'iut collar 24 in engagement with the abutment sleeve 25. It will now be understood that the lever 21, fulcrumed at 22, may be actuated to lift the valve 3 from its seat at the lower end of the valve housing.

27 designates the'usual cam shaft adapted to be driven by the engine, and 28 is a cam fixed to said shaft and adapted to engage a roller 29 at one end of a large lever 30, said cam having a projection 28' whereby movement is transmitted to said lever. This lever 30 is fulcrumed on a rod 31, and one of its arms has a flat face 32 which overlies a corresponding flat face 33 on one ofthe arms of the shorter lever 21. A power transmission blockor red 34: is mounted between the flat faces. 32 and 33 to provide for the transmission of movement from the drivng lever 30 to the driven lever 21, whereby the valve is actuated.

It is important to observe that the transmission block 34 may be adjusted along the till position ,of the adjustable transmission block. The valve always returns to the fixed closed position shown in Fig. IT, for an ad justment of the transmission block 3 1- does not change the closed position of the valve. To reduce the lifting movement of the valve, the transmission block 34 is adjusted toward the fulcrum 31 of lever 30, and to increase the valve movement the block is adjusted away from said fulcrum.

. The object in varying the movements of the valve is to prevent excess air from escaping between the valve and its seat when the valve is lifted to its open position, and it will be apparent that the volume of air escaping past the valve will be relatively small if the valve is lifted only a slight distance. The adjustable transmission block 34 serves as a means for regulating the valve movements, and it can be adjusted to economize in the use of compressed air, and to avoid undue cooling which would result from the admission of too much of the injection air.

l have previously stated that it is desirable to vary the movements of the inlet valve without changing the time in which the llll valve is opened and closed. The cam 28 is properly timed to open and close the valve at fixed predetermined periods in the cycle of operations, and it is important to observe that an adjustment of the transmission block 34 will vary the vertical movements of the valve without changing the fixed periods in which the valve begins and ends its movements. A change in the leverage merely changes the degree of movement at the valve, and does. not change the time in which the valve is to begin or complete its movements.

A leaf spring 35, bearing against a screw on the lever 30, serves to retain the roller 29 in constant engagement with the cam 28, thereby avoiding hammer blows when the cam projection strikes the roller 29. This spring also cooperates with the spring 26 to avoid pressure on the block 34 when the cam 28 is ineffective. There is preferably a very slight space between the block 34 and the lever 30 when the cam is ineffective, so the block can be easily adjusted between the levers.

To illustrate a suitable means for adjusting the transmission block 34, I have shown an operating shaft 36 provided with a depending arm 37, and links 38 connecting said arm to the adjustable block 34. An operating arm'39, secured to the shaft 36, may be oscillated in any suitable manner to adjust the block 34 relative to the fulcrums of the levers 21 and 30. The operating arm 39 is preferably adjusted automatically by a speed governor driven by the engine.

40 designates a rotary governing shaft (Fig. I) adapted to be driven by the engine, and 41 is the governor provided with the usual collar 42 movable longitudinally of the shaft 40. The means for transmitting movement from the governor collar 42 to the operating arm 39 comprises a lever 43 actuated by the governor collar, a vertical rod 44 loosely mounted in one end of lever 43, an arm '45 to which the upper end of rod 44 is pivoted, and an arm 46 secured to the arm 45, said arms 45 and 46 being pivotally mounted on a rod 47. A spring 48, surrounding the vertical rod 44, lies between the lever 43 and a collar 49 on the rod 44, so as to yieldingly transmit upward movement from the lever 43 to the rod 44. Downward movement is firmly transmitted from the lever 43'and through a nut 44 on the lower end of rod 44. A sleeve 50, at the upper portion of Fig. II, is pivoted at 51 to the operating arm 39. A long connecting rod 52,

pivoted to thearm 46, is provided at its upper end with a reduced extension 52' slidably mounted in the sleeve 50, said rod having a shoulder 53 which normally engages the lower endof sleeve 50. A spring 54, surrounding the reduced extension 52, yieldingly holds the shoulder 53 in engagement with sleeve 50.

Through the medium of the elements just described, including the springs 48 and 54, the governor actuated lever 43 is yieldingly connected to the operating arm 39 whereby the transmission block '34 is adjusted. The

block 34 will, therefore, be adjusted automatically in response to changes in the speed of the engine governor; and if the governor actuated lever 43 should be operated while the block 34 is clamped between the faces 3233, one of the springs 48 or 54 will yield to prevent breakage or other injury to the connecting elements. Thereafter, when the transmission block 34 is released, the spring 48 or 54will act u on the connecting elements to adjust sai block 34.

- I claim:

1. An internal combustion engine of the high compression type having a fuel inlet valve, means for conducting fuel and compressed air to said inlet valve so as to inject the fuel into the engine, valve operating means whereby said inlet valve is opened and closed at fixed periods in the cycle of operations, said valve operating means comprising an operating cam, a driving lever actuated by said cam, a driven lever whereby said valve is actuated and a power transmis sion member slidably mounted between said levers and being independent therefrom, said power transmission member being mov able to different positions relative to the fulcrums of said levers so as to vary the movements of said valve, a speed governor, and yielding means connected to said speed governor. and to said power transmission member whereby .said power transmission member is automatically adjusted to vary the movements of said valve.

2. An internal combustion engine having an inlet valve, means for conductingliquid fuel and compressed air to said inlet valve so as to inject the fuel into the engine, valve operatingv means whereby said valve is opened andaclosed to control the admission of the compressed air and fuel, said valve operating means including a lever connected directlyto said inlet valve and a transmission member cooperable-with difierent parts of said lever to transmit movement to said valve, said transmission member being movable relative to the fulcrum of said lever to engage different points on said lever, a speed governor, and yielding means connected to said speed governor and to said transmission member whereby said transmission member is automatically adjusted to regulate the admiss on of said compressed air.

3. An internal combustion engine having an inlet valve, means for conducting liquid fuel and compressed air to said inlet valve so asto inject the fuel into the engine, valve operating means whereby said valve is opened and closed to controlthe admission,

of the compressed air and fuel, said valve operating means including a power transmission member independent of said valve operating means and adjustable to vary the degree of movement of said inlet valve, a speed governor, and yielding means connected to said governor and to said power transmission member whereby movement is transmitted from said speed governor to said power transmission member.

l. An internal combustion engine having an inlet valve, means for conducting liquid fuel and compressed air to said inlet valve so as to inject the fuel into the engine, valve operating means whereby said valve is opened and closed to control the admission (5 the compressed air and fuel, said valve qperating means including a power transmission member adjustable to vary the degree of movement of the inlet valve said power transmission member bein firmly held to prevent adjustment thereo during the operation of said valve, a speed governor, and yielding means whereby movement is yieldingly transmitted from said speed governor to said adjustable power transmission member, said means including a coil spring which permits the operation of said last mentioned means even though said power transmission 'member be immovably held.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing ll hereunto allix my signature.

REINHARD HILDEBRAND.

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